Duncan Smith (Dublin Fingal, Labour)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

337. To ask the Tánaiste and Minister for Justice and Equality the reason the changes have been made to the community return scheme; the reason persons that had their applications made to the Probation Service before the change had their cases investigated under the old scheme; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [7407/20]

Charles Flanagan (Laois-Offaly, Fine Gael)
Link to this: Individually | In context | Oireachtas source

The Community Return Scheme is an incentivised early release scheme co-managed by the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service. The Community Return Scheme was introduced in 2011 as a means of ensuring that where appropriate, prisoners released on Temporary Release engaged in structured activities within their communities, under the supervision of the Probation Service. Prisoners released on the Community Return Scheme contribute to their local communities by engaging in activities such as working in charity shops, maintenance of public areas, sports facilities etc. I am informed by my officials in the Irish Prison Service that all prisoners considered for early release under the Scheme are subject to a rigorous assessment process with the primary consideration being that of public safety.

The Programme has been a positive development since its inception. As well as allowing prisoners to complete their sentence by way of performing a service to the community, it has significantly helped these prisoners to successfully resettle in their communities.

The Scheme was evaluated in 2014 with that evaluation pointing to very high levels of compliance among prisoners at a rate of 89%.

The Scheme was further reviewed in 2019 and, acting upon the advice of my officials in both the Irish Prison Service and the Probation Service, I broadened the eligibility criteria for the Scheme with a view to identifying further numbers of prisoners who could be released safely into the community in response to capacity issues across the prisons estate arising from rising prisoner numbers. The change in criteria was also linked to increasing the cohort of prisoners who could avail of the rehabilitative effects of participation in the scheme.

Those changes to the eligibility criteria were introduced in August 2019. I am informed by the Irish Prison Service that it has recently emerged that a misinterpretation of the eligibility criteria resulted in a very small number of prisoners (three) having their cases assessed for eligibility under the old criteria. However, I am further advised that those cases have since been referred for assessment for suitability for release under the Scheme, and that their applications are currently under active consideration.